Death Mages Ascent: Revised Edition (Death Mage Series Book 1) by Jon Bender Page A

eating. Jaxom gave him a withering glare.
                  “Not an hour out of your death bed, and you are off fighting nine foot tall monsters in my cellar?” Corin said, otherwise appearing to concentrate on his pork. “One would think a loyal vassal would inform his lord when he intended such things.”
                  “It was only seven feet tall, and it’s not like I went looking for the damn thing.” Jaxom said, taking the bait.
                  Corin gave a small smile of victory. “That’s beside the point. You were only supposed to investigate the shades.” He plucked some peas from Jaxom’s plate.
                  Jaxom gave his friend an evil look. “I did that. Something was there waiting for me.”
                  “Waiting for you?” Corin said, leaning back.
                  “Yes. It was in the room with the bodies. I believe that when it realized I had seen it, it tried to kill me.”
                  Corin looked around, as if signaling that this was not the place to have such a discussion. He stood and motioned for Jaxom to follow. Lamenting his unfinished meal, Jaxom complied. As they left the dining hall, the king’s personal guard maintained an unobtrusive distance that allowed them a measure of privacy.
                  “What do you mean something was waiting for you?” Corin asked.
                  “When I was in the shade’s memories, something powerful found me,” Jaxom heard his voice shaking.
                  “Do you have any idea what it was?”
                  “No, but I think I have a way to find out,” Jaxom said and instantly regretted it. On the trip from the holding cells, Jaxom had thought over what he had seen in the shade’s memories. The man on the throne must have been their leader. He did not think the man had been the source of the voice, but he was connected to it. The shades had traveled south for nearly two weeks, moving only at night, which gave Jaxom a good idea of where they came from. All signs pointed to the great forest. “I believe the shades came from the Teriken Forest.”
                  “That’s at least a ten-day ride from here.” Corin shook his head. “I can’t send you north while the Azurian and Dradon armies creep toward us from the South.”
                  “If we win this war but don’t stop whoever started it, they will just try again. We need to know what we are up against,” Jaxom said. Corin stopped and stood staring at a painting depicting a beautiful blond woman in a long, flowing red dress. Jaxom could almost see the wheels turning in his friend’s head. “You’re right. I would rather have you with me when all this starts, but my reasons are more personal than strategic.” Breaking his gaze from the picture, he looked at Jaxom. “You can be handy in a fight.” 
                  “You’ll allow me to go, then?” 
                  “Yes, though I’d rather not. I can’t devote a lot of men to this little… adventure,” Corin said, continuing to walk, “but I won’t let you go alone.”
                  Jaxom had envisioned himself simply riding out alone, but bringing others was sounding better and better. Besides Corin, Celia, and Nelix, he didn’t have any friends, and all hands would be needed in the kingdom to face the coming invasion. Not for the first time, Jaxom ached at having so few people in his life.
                  “You can take three of the guard if you wish,” Corin offered.
                  “Cribble,” Jaxom said on impulse, “and let him pick two more.” He did not know why he had picked Cribble. By all accounts the man despised what he was, but the Captain had just proven himself willing to put prejudice aside when needed as he had done down in holding